


Someday Ever After

by Lumau



Category: Shades of Magic - V. E. Schwab
Genre: 3 Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel, 3 wishes for Cinderella, AU, Cinderella crossover, Gen, I love this story a lot and hope you'll like it too, Inspired by Tři oříšky pro Popelku, Multi, especially for Holland, fairytale, several happy ends that were lacking in the books, ships are pretty much up for your interpretation, surprisingly much story and little romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:42:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28730661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumau/pseuds/Lumau
Summary: ~✾~Ön vejr tök...The story goes...In a SoM/Cinderella AU Holland has to be Cinderella, of course!A big part of the cast makes an appearance in various roles.And in true fairytale fashion, there will be villains, magic and a big happy end.~✾~
Kudos: 1





	Someday Ever After

**Author's Note:**

> ~✾~  
> This is NOT based on the Disney adaption, but on the 1970's movie Tři oříšky pro Popelku/Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel/Three wishes for Cinderella and the original Grimm's brothers fairytale Aschenputtel/Cinderella, of which I used some passages from the english translation by Margaret Hunt from 1884.  
>   
> This was the first time I ever wrote a full crossover / AU story, and I enjoyed it so much!  
>   
> Neither canon gender, ships, age or geography play a big role here.  
> Kell is not a prince, and magic works somewhat differently than in the SoM-verse.  
>   
> Also - Happy Birthday Holland!  
> I'm pretty sure Holland never got to experience an actual good birthday, so I wanted to post something with a happy end for the occasion.  
> ~✾~

**Someday ever after**

_Ön vejr tök..._

_The story goes..._

There was once a rich man who fell sick, and when he felt his end drawing near, he called his only child to his bedside, and said:  
"Dear Holland, be pious and good, and magic will always guide you, and I will watch over you, and be near you."

Thereupon he closed his eyes and departed. The child was left devastated, and only as the snow spread a white sheet over their father's grave, their tears ran dry.

In the last year of his lifetime, the father had taken a second spouse, Osaron, who had brought with him into the house two children, the twins Astrid and Athos, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart. 

Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. 

"Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor with us," they said. "Those who want to eat bread must earn it. Out with the kitchen-wench." 

They took Holland's pretty clothes away, put an old grey bedgown on them, and gave them wooden shoes.

"Just look at the proud royal, how decked out they are now," the twins cried and laughed, and led them into the kitchen.  
There Holland had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash.  
Besides this, Astrid and Athos did Holland every imaginable injury, soon leaving their body covered in scars.  
In the evening, when Holland had worked till they were weary, they had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the hearth in the cinders.  
And as on that account they always looked dusty and dirty, with their livid face and charcoal hair, everyone called them _Popelku_ \- _Cinderella_.

The only friends Holland had left in life were their sorrel horse Ojka, their dog Nasi and their owl Talya.  
Their old servant Vortalis, who was still with the house after the late master's death, stayed loyal to them and helped to keep the animals safe from Osaron and the twins.  
Whenever they could, Holland would secretly flee the estate to take Ojka to the forest, where they kept Talya in an old wooden shed, or go hunting with Nasi.  
Their step-father would punish them if he caught them, but Holland had grown used to it.

It happened that word got out that the king of Arnes would pass through the village of Makt.  
Rumour had it that the young crown prince was supposed to get married soon.  
At that prospect, Osaron went out of his way to rouse the whole estate for the visit of the royal family.  
House and yard were decked out in full splendour, expansively luxurious dishes were cooked, and the twins Astrid and Athos were dressed up in their best snow white suits.

Shortly before the arrival of the king, Osaron sent his children once more around the estate to oversee the arrangements.

When they entered the kitchen, the room was a mess of running staff and clattering pans, everyone caught up in the panic of last minute preparation.  
They were already about to turn around and leave again, as a loud shattering noise rang through the room, followed by a stream of curses.

Within seconds Astrid and Athos loomed above the culprit, the kitchen boy Alucard, who had dropped the good tureen.  
Athos pulled out his whip that he always carried at hand and had already raised it above the cowering young man, when Holland silently stepped in front of him.

"It was my fault. I did it. Please excuse my clumsiness, Athos."

At that moment the sounds of hooves and fanfares rang out in the yard.  
While turning to hurry out of the kitchen, Astrid brushed her hand against a wooden bowl of lentils that landed with a clatter in the ashes in front of the hearth. 

"Oh, my! _Popelku_ , clean up this mess. Don't even think of leaving the kitchen before you're done."

"You owe me," hissed Holland at the still mortified Alucard.  
They picked up the shards of the broken tureen, as a sudden pain almost made them drop them again. Blood ran from a cut on their hand.

The kitchen boy leapt up at the sight.

"You're hurt! Let me help you!" 

"Alucard, are you dawdling again?" the cook called his name from the other side of the room, and Holland waved him off.

"Go, or he will beat you next. You have a king to feed."

"Are you not coming to see the royal family? I heard the prince is very pretty."

Holland looked down at their dusty rags, their bloody hand and the lentils by the hearth.

"I don't think so."

The cook yelled Alucard's name for a second time, and with a sympathetic look at Holland, the young man ran off.

  
Holland sat down and sighed, took up the bowl and started to pick the lentils from the ashes.  
They had to think of their father, of happier days, full of warmth and stories.  
As a child, Holland was riveted by the old tales of magic that ran in their family.  
There was almost no magic left in the town of Makt, but the stories continued.  
If only they could use magic. If only...

A small gust of wind suddenly swept through the room, carried the cinders back into the hearth and left only the lentils behind.

Holland gasped.  
They could not believe what just happened.  
But there was the clean floor, and the spilled lentils ready to be swept up.

Within seconds, Holland had filled the bowl and ran from the kitchen.  
They left the house through the side door, away from the crowd.  
They had no interest in seeing the king - why should they?  
Instead Holland used the rare distraction to take Ojka out, and as they galloped across the snowy fields towards the Silver Wood, their mind finally started to ease.

  
~✾~

  
Meanwhile, Osaron and his two children together with the whole array of servants and staff bowed in front of the royal procession of carriages and horses.  
King Maxim and Queen Emira Maresh waved graciously, but their heads were close together, muttering under their breath.

"Where are they?" the king hissed through gritted teeth.  
As his wife only shook her head in concern, he called the preceptor to the side of their carriage.

"Tieren, where are the prince and his companions?"

The old man, barely able to steady himself on his pony, shrugged and looked around.

"I'm sure they were still with us when we left the forest."

"Go find them at once!" ordered the king, and the preceptor's pony waddled back out through the gates.   
  


"Your Majesty!" Osaron spoke up, and Maxim begrudgingly turned his attention towards the master of the estate, "The honour! May we offer you refreshments?"

Food and drink were handed out, pleasantries exchanged and polite conversation made.

"If I may inquire," Osaron began again, "we had hoped that His Highness Prince Rhy would grace us with his presence as well. Is he indisposed?" 

"My son and his companions are deeply involved in their studies," answered the king grimly.

"We sure are glad to hear that the prince is well," Astrid said and curtsied. 

"Oh, my sweet darling! So humble!" Osaron blinked proudly at her.  
"Both of my children are speaking of nothing but the prince and the upcoming festival. They even got into my dreams with it!"

He let out a cackling laugh.

"I dreamed that we were outside your beautiful, royal palace, looking in through the windows into the lit ballroom. We were so eager to get in! I stretched out my fingers, scratching over the panes of glass, calling "Let me in. Let me in." And then the doors opened for us and we joined the crowd."

An awkward silence fell.

"You... would like to come to the ball?" the king inquired slightly distraught.

"Oh, Your Majesty! The kindness! It is an honour for me and my children to join the festival!"

Osaron and his twins sank into another deep bow.  
  


Maxim and Emira shared a look of uneasy confusion. The king lifted his glass to sip, but instantly spat the drink back.

"My! What is that? It almost has a taste of... blood?"

"Your Majesty likes to joke," Athos politely inclined his head, "This wine is an old recipe. Family tradition."

Both king and queen handed their untouched glasses back, and called for the whole convoy to depart, passing by the bowing and curtsying staff of Osaron's estate.

~✾~

"We're in the middle of nowhere! I thought we were looking for a tavern," the prince whined, bringing his steed to a halt.

"And I thought we would hide by the side of the road and ambush the next carriage," his companion called from the back of the second horse.

"Why would we do that, Lila?" groaned the third, bringing the horse to a stop as well, "And Rhy - we rode into the forest. Did you really think there was a party going on somewhere around here?"

"At least we avoided that boring visit and got rid of Tieren," grinned the prince. "Come on, I know a shortcut!" 

With that he roweled his horse into motion, altogether leaving the path and galloped into the deep snow of the woods beyond.

"A shortcut to where?” Kell shouted after him, “You have no idea where we are!"  
  
But they had no choice but to follow.

Shortly afterwards the group emerged onto a clearing.

"Halt, there's a house!" called the prince over his shoulder.

"I would not call that a house," Kell replied, frowning at the sight of the ruinous wooden hut.

A sudden noise made them stop dead in their tracks.

"There!" Lila gasped, as a brief grey shadow vanished around the side of the decaying building.

"What was that?" Rhy whispered.

"Who was that," Kell corrected automatically, which brought him two annoyed looks.

"Maybe a ghost!" said Lila excitedly, and leapt off the back of the horse. Pulling out one of her knives, she slowly sneaked towards the hut.

"Look at her, hunting a ghost with a knife," smirked Rhy, but his voice had an underlying edge to it.

Lila silently signaled them to come around the other way as she rounded the corner.  
Kell rolled his eyes, but he descended and quietly crossed the clearing to the other side of the shed.

"I'll wait here, in case... the ghost comes out the front door or something," Rhy called after him.

"I found a horse!" Kell's voice came from behind the shed. 

Then Lila screamed. 

Rhy stiffened, as the grey figure he had seen earlier came running straight towards him.  
His horse reared in panic, and before he could do anything, he saw the ghost leap onto Kell's horse and take off. 

"Hey! Come back!" Rhy shouted uselessly, and without thinking he chased after them into the woods.

The ghost was a skilled rider, and soon Rhy fell back.  
Snow blurred his vision, low hanging branches scratched his face and threatened to knock his crown off.  
At one point he almost lost track of the other horse, when he suddenly burst out into the same clearing where the hunt had begun.

Kell's horse stood steaming and puffing by the hut, and the prince only caught a glimpse of a figure on a tall sorrel vanishing between the trees.

"Kell! Lila!" he called out, looking around anxiously.

A moment later they stumbled out of the woods. The friends were relieved to be reunited.  
  


"That was definitely not a ghost," Kell said with conviction.

Lila snorted. "That ass hit me in the face with a snowball. If I ever get hold of them, they will have to pay for that."

Rhy meanwhile was lost in thought.  
He did not actually believe in ghosts, but there had been something about this grey person that seemed... different.

He was ripped from his musing though as another person suddenly appeared on the clearing.

"Your Highness! Ah, good that I found you! Your father..."

But the preceptor did not come any further, as a silent understanding quickly passed between the three friends and they once more galloped off, waving and cheering at Tieren.

He sighed deeply. "I am too old for this."

~✾~

It happened, that the king sent out the invitations for the ball taking place during the festival which was to last three days, and to which all the promising young people in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a partner.

He kept the word he had reluctantly given on his visit to Makt. When Osaron and the twins heard that they too were to appear among the number, they were delighted.

The servant Vortalis was called and sent to London to purchase fabrics and supplies to make new suits for all of them.  
On his way, he passed by an icy stream.  
Holland kneeled on the bank in the snow, forced to wash laundry with their bare hands.

"Holland!" he called out to them, "Don't you want anything from the capital?"

"A long silver cape and a pearl diadem," replied Holland through shattering teeth, "as I can already see them inviting me to the ball as well."

"No need to be bitter about that," Vortalis looked at them with sympathy, "If I had my will, I would bring you all the gifts I could get."

Holland almost smiled at that.  
"Then bring me one thing that hits you on the nose."

Vortalis was already on his way back, when a sudden gust of wind made the trees rustle above him, sending the snow drifting down onto his hat.  
He looked up, and a thin hazelnut branch almost hit his face.  
Remembering the promise he had given Holland, he broke it and handed it to them upon his return.  
Touched by the small affectionate gesture, Holland held the branch with its three fruits dear and kept it with their few other belongings in their hut, protected by Talya's watchful eyes and sharp claws.

The next days were filled with preparations for the upcoming ball.  
When the twins had no use for Holland, other than bringing them jewelry to try on, sharpening Astrid's knifes or scrubbing blood red stains from their white boots, they had taken to keeping them busy by throwing lentils into the ashes, unaware that that gave Holland the only little freedom they had. 

Ever since the first time, they had been able to call forth the wind to separate lentils and ashes within a second.  
Holland was still unsure why they had suddenly started to develop the skill to control the air.  
However, they could think of nothing else anymore. 

In secret they had tried to let the wind do other things as well, and it had always obeyed them.  
They knew that no one could find out about this - especially not their step-father and the twins, or they would bitterly regret it.

One day though as they had to pick lentils from the ashes again, they were caught by the kitchen boy as they sent the ashes flying into the hearth.

"If you tell anyone, Alucard, I will kill you," threatened Holland, and the young man made a zipping motion across his mouth.

"I can also do magic, you know?" he grinned, and reached his hand out towards Holland's face.

Habit made them stiffen in defence, but Alucard already pulled his hand back and presented a copper _lin_.

"Oh, I say! Look what I found behind your ear!" he exclaimed, smugly spinning the coin around his fingers.

~✾~

Still, Holland had less and less time to steel themselves away to the forest.  
Ojka was already cross with them, as they could take her out so little these days.  
And Nasi had turned to stealing scraps from the kitchen rather than waiting for Holland to go hunting with her.  
Talya was free to come and go as she wanted, but during the day Holland always found her perched above their chest of treasures, a small wooden box that belonged to them since they were a child.  
It contained a few strange coins, a small knife, an odd black stone they had once found in the woods and the hazelnut branch.

"My dear Talya. You can fly wherever you want. But I am bound to this place," Holland sighed after a day that had been especially grim, twisting the branch between their fingers. "I have nothing left but you, Ojka and Nasi. They have taken everything from me."

The owl flapped her wings and pecked at the branch in Holland's hand.  
With a snap, one of the hazelnuts came loose.  
But the moment it hit the floor, there was no fruit anymore.  
Instead there lay a white woolen jacket, trousers and high boots, together with a hat and shiny silver mask.

Holland grabbed the things in astonishment and delight, unable to believe what just happened.

"Talya, did you see this?" they exclaimed, clutching the beautiful clothes to their chest.

The owl blinked her eyes and cooed.

Holland changed into the new set of clothes that fitted them perfectly.  
Driven by an erratic inspiration they leapt onto Ojka's back and galloped off towards the town.

It was that day that a fair took place outside the city walls in celebration of the first day of the festival at the palace.  
Holland hovered on the outskirts of the fair, bending low on Ojka's neck. 

"Sssh, I don't want to be noticed," they whispered more to themselves than to the horse.

After a while they gathered their courage, arranged the silver mask that covered the upper part of their face and entered the ground. 

Market stalls had been erected and merchants were advertising their wares.  
But Holland did not have any money, so even though they looked wealthy in their new clothes, they could only marvel at the various offerings.

The center of the square formed a bonfire. To Holland's blank astonishment they recognised some of the people gathered in front of it on a wooden platform.

It was the three young nobles they had fled from in the woods the other day. 

One of them clearly had to be the prince - Holland had not noticed the crown on his black hair when he rode after them, only his red cloak that was so utterly out of place in the colorless world they lived in.  
But here, in the gleaming light of the fire, the band of gold shone strikingly bright, competing merely with all the other golden accessoires the prince wore over his crimson suit.

The other two were dressed way less extravagantly, but they still stood out to Holland.  
The _dangerous one_ , as they had started to refer to the one with the knife, and the _uneasy one_ , which was the only word they found fit for the tall red-head who constantly seemed out of place. 

Only now had Holland time to thoroughly look at them though, and with sudden shock they noticed that both of the prince's companions had one black eye each, just like they themselves did.

Holland had never seen anyone else with eyes like that.  
Their father liked to tell them how it made them special, while Athos made fun of it and threatened to cut it out and wear it around his neck, should they not obey his orders.

Holland pulled their hat deeper into their face, suddenly feeling exposed despite their mask.

Some sort of event was about to begin, as the crowd was bustling and chattering, pushing towards the center of the square.

The prince held up a hand to demand silence, and twisted around with outstretched arms.

"Thank you all for coming!" he called out, and Holland noticed that he used the common language, not the High Royal normally spoken by nobility.  
"For our annual fair my dear friends here -" he motioned at his two companions, who seemed less enthusiastic and rather kept in the background, "have agreed to show some of their special talents!"

The crowd cheered and calls of " _Mas Aven!_ " rang out.

What followed was beyond anything Holland had ever seen.

It was not the first magic display they witnessed, but the ease with which the two magicians moved and wielded their powers touched something inside them that left them rooted to the spot, unable to look away in fear of missing just one split-second. 

The showcase was a staged fight between the two.   
The _dangerous one_ was wild and fierce and fought with a chaotic precision that made it impossible to foresee the next move.  
Holland was more surprised by the _uneasy one_ though and couldn't help but think that they might have to come up with a new name.  
All insecurity, all reticence was lost from the determined, fluent motions, the posture completely changed to one of natural confidence.

But what impressed Holland the most was how they simply played with the elements.  
Whether it was the air, that came down onto the square in a cyclone at the swift movement of a hand, the earth that buckled and threw up a mound around the market stalls in the matter of a breath or the fire, that swirled up into the sky with the flick of a wrist - these young magicians could not only control _all_ elements, which was unbelievable in and of itself, but they also used their power so effortlessly, that in the end they were merely out of breath.

The crowd was just as fascinated and the space filled with terrified gasps, excited chattering and then roaring applause.  
Once again the prince raised his hand to ask for quiet.

"Marvellous display by our two royal _Antari_!" his voice boomed, followed by more clapping and cheering.  
"Now, who has the courage to step up here and show some of their own magic?"

An uncomfortable silence fell, as the people looked around to see if anyone would be bold enough to answer to the prince's request.

"I know, I know, my friends' art is stunning. But never fear, anyone who can control one of the elements is invited to give it a try!" 

Prince Rhy motioned for an attendant holding a golden tray to step closer.

"After all, we are looking for this year's winner of the element games! Whoever impresses us the most with their talent will win this precious ring from the royal treasury!"

He held up a broad golden ring for everyone to see, and the enthusiasm of the crowd was sparked again.  
Muttering swelled up all around them, but Holland had only eyes for the two magicians who had retreated to the side of the stage.

_Antari_ , that was the word the prince had used. And suddenly they knew what they were.

"No one? Magicians, come forth!"

Holland's feet had started moving, and before they realised it, they stepped up on the dais.  
The crowd whispered, clearly unsure what to make of the masked stranger in the white suit.

Prince Rhy turned towards them with a dazzling smile and clapped his hands.  
The crowd joined in, warming to the prospect of someone publicly making a fool of themselves.  
Holland bowed deeply in front of the prince and his companions, careful to keep their head low and their eyes hidden.

"We have our first competitor!" announced the prince and stepped aside, "The stage is yours, brave and handsome stranger!"

Silence fell.

Holland had no plan.  
They were not interested in the ring.  
They only knew with an invincible certainty that they could do what the others had shown - that they wanted to, no, _had_ to try it now, or they would burst.

Just as they were now used to when commanding the air, the other elements obeyed their will as easily and naturally as they controlled their own limbs. 

The fire roared high at a swift motion of their hand, only to be doused by a shower of water they called up from the buckets distributed around the platform.  
A gust of wind fanned the ambers back to life, picking up the cinders and letting them swirl in a spiral above the heads.

Holland exhaled, and the earth underneath the square started to tremble, evoking screams and panicked movement in the crowd.  
Finally, they held out their other hand and one of the metal bars from a stand flew into their grip.  
Without moving as much as a finger it bent in on itself to form a perfect circle.

Holland relaxed their mental focus, releasing the elements from their control.  
The wind stilled, letting the ashes waft like snow.  
The fire calmed down to its original size.  
The water flowed back into the buckets.  
The metal ring fell to the ground and the earth stood still.

A stunned silence spread all around and stretched seconds into minutes. 

"The competition is over. The best magician has already shown what they can," the prince called as he found his voice again and turned to face Holland.

"Congratulations! I don't know who you are, but the price is yours."

Holland could not move, still overwhelmed by everything that had just happened.

"Come now! No need to be modest. You earned it!" 

Prince Rhy held out his hand, and Holland lifted theirs for him to slip the golden band over their finger.  
The crowd hesitantly started clapping again.  
The prince tilted his head with eager curiosity, trying to catch a glimpse at Holland's face.

"Who are you, stranger?"

Suddenly aware of the imminent danger of the situation, Holland pulled their hand back, bowed their head and turned to run away through the crowd that parted all around them.  
They did not stop to look whether they were being followed, but jumped on Ojka's back and set off across the snow covered fields towards the Silver Wood.

~✾~

Two days later, on the night of the ball, Osaron and the twins called Holland and said, "Comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the festival at the king's palace."

Holland obeyed, but feared, that they secretly pursued an evil plot against the crown.  
So they said that they too would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged their step-father to allow them to do so.

"You go, _Popelku_ ," said he, "covered in dust and dirt as you are, and would go to the festival. You have no clothes and shoes, and yet would dance." 

As, however, Holland went on asking, Osaron said at last, "Astrid has emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for you, if you have picked them out again in one hour, you shall go with us."

Holland went to the kitchen and sat down by the hearth.  
The kitchen boy Alucard came by and saw them bend over the cinders.

"Hey, don't be sad that you can't go to the ball," he said, "We can dance together in the parlour once the master is out of the house."

Holland only sneered at that.  
"I don’t care about dancing. And I will go to the palace, believe me."

Hardly one minute passed before they finished cleaning up the lentils.  
They waited, as they knew they could not give the secret of their magic away.  
Just in time, Holland took the dish to their step-father, and was glad, and believed that now they would be allowed to go with them to the festival and see what they were up to.

But Osaron said, "All this will not help. You cannot go with us, for you have no clothes and can not dance. We would be ashamed of you." 

On this he turned his back on Holland, and hurried away with his two proud twins. 

As they had left, Holland took out Ojka and rode to the hut in the woods.  
They sat in front of Talya's perch overcome by despair.

They did not know what Osaron's plan was, but they were sure that it would endanger the crown and therefore the whole land.  
And there was nothing they could do, not even their newly discovered magic could help them now.

Talya blinked at them with her large, golden eyes and clicked her beak.

"What is it, Tal?"

She flapped her wings, and picked at the little treasure chest.  
Holland remembered the last time she had behaved this strangely, and a sudden inspiration made them take out the hazelnut branch.  
They closed their eyes, hoped, for what- magic? Another miracle?  
They broke off the second fruit and let it fall to the floor.

But there was no noise when the shell hit the wood, and when they looked, they found a neat pile of silver silk, topped by a jewelled crown and slippers embroidered with silk and silver.  
They marveled at the dress only for a short moment, then put it on with all speed, and rode on Ojka to the ball.

~✾~

The palace was practically radiating light and warmth, a stark contrast to the dull, white land surrounding the city. Within its walls, there lay no snow, and Holland could sense the bustling energy in the air filled with scents, life and magic.

Broad marble steps lead up to the open double doors of the palace, flanked by a row of guards on either side.  
For a moment Holland worried that they might stop them, but their splendid dress with the long, silver cape and the jewelled crown made everyone recognise them as a guest of the ball.

They followed the sounds of music and voices, and as they went down the luxuriously decorated, broad corridors, they pulled the lucent veil down over their eyes to hide their face from sight.

The ballroom was filled with a colorful crowd, in which their step-siblings in their crisp white suits immediately stood out.  
They looked splendid, their hair and collars studded with red and green gems, but their faces were as cold and sly as ever.

Holland made sure to stay close to the outer wall, as they approached the twins and Osaron who huddled together by one of the wide, gold-veined marble pillars.  
They got as close as they dared to, but over the music they could not hear what they spoke.

Metal glistened, as Osaron handed Astrid a necklace with a large red jewel pendant and gave Athos a shiny, round clasp made of silver.

Holland knew that neither of these had been part of the jewelry their step-siblings had tried on for the ball, and they did not put them on now.  
The pieces vanished into the twins pockets.  
From their point of view Holland only caught the hint of a sardonic grin on Astrid's face, a sight that they did not like at all.

They still did not know more about the plan the three pursued, but that they were up to something was out of the question.  
Holland tried listing all the information they had.  
The jewelry, that had to have some significance. Maybe it was cursed, or stood under a spell.  
And, knowing their step-father's hunger for power and wealth, he'd try to gain access to the court, or even the crown.

A look around the room showed them that the king and queen were residing on a dais by the far side of the ballroom, surveying the spectacle and from time to time nodding or smiling at those passing by.  
No, Holland was fairly sure they'd go for the prince.  
After all, Prince Rhy was supposed to pick a spouse, and if they gained control over him, their success would be guaranteed.

The prince was standing close to the royal dais and seemed to take a break from dancing.  
While he had already been made up magnificently for the fair, tonight he was stunning.  
All the gold and jewels he wore could not distract from the bored expression on his face though.

Holland took a deep breath.  
As they approached and bowed before the prince, his face lit up.

"I don't think we have been introduced?" he noted.

"Your Highness, you must dance with me," Holland replied. 

Prince Rhy pouted in mild indignation.  
"I _must_ , now, do I? While I appreciate a straightforward approach, I still tend to choose my partners myself."

Holland cast a nervous look around, but the twins were on the other side of the room.  
"Please. Dance with me."

"Well, you have managed to spark my interest," Rhy cocked his head, taking them in, "and thereby achieved more than anyone else here tonight. So yes, we might just as well share this dance together."

The attention in the ballroom hung on them both, as the prince led Holland onto the dancefloor.  
Everyone they passed whispered about the veiled stranger in the shining dress and who they might be.  
Their step-siblings and step-father also did not recognise them, and thought they must be a foreign royal.  
They never once thought of _Popelku_ , and believed that they were sitting at home in the cinders.  
  


Holland had learned to dance when their father was still alive, and they were just a bit stiff from lack of practice and anxious tension.  
Prince Rhy however, well versed and elegant, led them in an effortless, fluent way that to their own surprise made Holland think they might actually enjoy this.

"Now, tell me," the prince called them from their thoughts, "why did you want to dance with me so urgently? I know I'm very popular, but that's not all, is it?"

"I can't really speak openly. We're being watched," Holland murmured under their breath.

"Well, I'm used to that," laughed Rhy, "and I'm sure we make quite a dashing pair."

"That's not why I asked you. Someone here wishes you harm, Your Highness."

The prince's eyes widened in astonishment and locked onto the shadow of Holland's face behind their veil.

"Who are you?" he inquired.  
His voice had lost the easy tone, but he continued to lead the dance perfectly without breaking a stride.

"I can't tell you more, for fear of revealing myself, but you have to believe me. Don't dance with anyone else tonight," said Holland in a low voice.

Rhy snorted.  
"You are quite possessive for someone whose face I haven't even seen!"

"My prince, I don't care about you," Holland pressed, "but I do care about the future of this land. And if you also do, then take my advice."

Prince Rhy's face fell, and for a moment, Holland feared he might walk away or have them arrested.  
But he continued the dance in silence, and when someone else came to invite him, he said, "This is my partner."

The twins had taken to the dancefloor as well, strikingly elegant in their tight, snow white suits, winding their way across the room.  
When Astrid came close, she had her hands on one of the prince's friends, the _uneasy one,_ as Holland had secretly baptised him.

"Kell!" Rhy called over to him, and the _Antari_ nodded back, a deep frown between his brows.  
As expected, Astrid held her hand out to ask the prince for a dance.  
He only smiled and shook his head though.  
"I am not going to steal my friend's partner."

As they turned away again, Astrid's voice drifted over as she purred to the magician:  
"Flower boy, I should keep you."

Shortly afterwards, the prince's other companion, the _dangerous one,_ and Athos neared them.  
Holland could see that neither was enjoying themselves one bit.  
None of them led or followed, and their dance resembled more a silent fight for control, a vicious struggle to gain the upper hand.  
Once again, Athos cut in to take the prince, but he declined.

"Lila," he laughed, as the unfitting pair continued their violent farce of a dance, "Please don't stab our guest in the ballroom."

Relief settled over Holland, as they continued to dance into the evening. 

Only when Osaron and the twins, all of them seething about their failed plan to approach the prince, made to leave the ball, did it occur to Holland that they had to get home and change before anyone noticed their absence.

"I have to go now," they said urgently and let go of the prince.

"What? You can't just leave me standing like that," Rhy moved to hold them back, "I will at least come with you to your carriage and bear you company."

Holland wanted to decline, as, of course they had no carriage waiting for them, but the prince insisted, offering his arm.

Just as they were on the palace steps fell the prince's eyes on Holland's hand on his arm.  
He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Where did you get that?" he gasped, taking Holland's hand into his and scrutinising the ring on their finger.  
It was the one they had received as an award at the magical tournament.  
  
"Who gave this ring to you? And why won't you tell me who you are?"

Holland did the only thing that came to their mind - they turned and ran.

When Rhy tried to instinctively grab their hand, he only caught hold of the wide golden ring.  
It slipped from Holland's finger and freed them from his grip.

Holland fled down the rest of the broad steps.  
Before the prince could follow or call the guards to help, they had already found Ojka, who was waiting for them in the shadow of the palace. Holland jumped on her back and raced back towards Makt.

And when Osaron and the twins got home, _Popelku_ lay in their dirty rags among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, and they thought that everything was normal.

~✾~

What neither of them had anticipated though, was that the prince and his companions rode out to look for the mysterious stranger while they still could follow their tracks in the snow. Rhy had not much to go by, but he knew in which direction they had left and that the golden ring fitted their ring finger.

They soon came to Osaron's estate and demanded to be let in.  
The staff, roused by the noise at the gates, gathered in the yard.  
The prince explained why they were there and gave order to be shown all the people who fit his description that were living at the estate.  
A servant was sent to fetch the master and his children, and when the twins heard about the prince's quest, they were glad, for they had pretty hands.  
But the A _ntari_ recognised their former dance partners, and they had to stand aside, scowling and hissing.

Now all the young people of the estate regardless of their rank were lined up in the yard to try the ring on.  
One after the other handed it to the next after failing to properly fit it on their ring finger.

The kitchen boy Alucard had placed himself at the end of the line, and with a lopsided grin slid the ring over his pinky finger, wriggling it triumphantly at the prince.  
Rhy shot him a sharp look, a smile playing around his lips.

"If it had been you, I'm sure I would have recognised you," he said and took the ring back. 

"None of them is the right person. Have you no one else who fits the description?" he asked aloud.

"Wait," spoke the old servant Vortalis, "there is still Holland."

"Oh, _Popelku_ , the kitchen-wench which my late husband left behind", laughed Osaron, "but they cannot possibly be who you're looking for."

The prince said he was to send them to him, but the step-father answered, "Oh no, they are much too raggedy, they cannot show themselves."

As Osaron kept on refusing to call them, the prince ordered the whole staff to search the estate.  
He and Kell stayed behind with the master and his twins in the yard.

In truth of the matter though, Osaron had caught Holland earlier when they secretly went up to their step-sibling's room with the plan to search their clothes for the jewelry they had seen at the ball. The step-father had then bound their hands and punished them, and locked them in the garret. 

It was the other A _ntari_ , Lila, who found them in a heap on the floor in the dark.  
She cut the rope that bound them. As she saw that they were hurt, she pulled her knife across her palm without hesitation, and Holland wanted to shout at her, what she was doing.  
But she placed her bloody hands on their arms and said " _As Hasari_ ".  
A warm and soothing feeling spread through Holland's body, as their wounds began to heal.

"That's enough," growled Lila after a moment, and she helped them to their feet.

"What did you just do?" Holland asked, patting down their old, grey gown.

"Blood magic. Don't you dare tell anyone about it."  
  


As they returned to the group together, Lila quickly told her friends what had happened in a hushed voice.

Vortalis handed Holland the ring, and they slipped it on their finger and it fitted like a glove. And when they looked up and the prince took them in, he recognized the beautiful stranger whom he had danced with at the ball.

"This is the right person!" exclaimed Rhy.

The step-father and the twins were horrified and became pale with rage, and they quietly backed away.  
Before they could reach the gates of the estate though, Lila had stretched her hand out and conjured a wall of fire that roared up high and encircled the three fleeing figures.

"You were the ghost in the forest," Rhy grabbed Holland's hand bearing the golden ring, "and also the magician at the fair!"

The _uneasy one_ , no- Kell, stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Holland's face.

" _Antari_ ," he murmured in disbelief.

It was in that moment that Holland felt the ring on their finger heat up quickly.  
They hastily reached out to pull it off before it would burn their skin, but it came apart in their grip instead.  
A slim golden band remained on their own finger, while they held two more parts, now cold to the touch again.

"What was that?" gasped the prince, but Kell had already stretched out his hand to take the rings from Holland.  
A silent understanding ran between them, as Kell slipped one of the rings over his own finger.  
An instant connection formed between them, shared power suddenly running back and forth.

"Holland!" Alucard stepped to their side, his hands on theirs and Kell's shoulders, "Why didn't you tell us you were getting engaged?"

"And who is that?" Kell snarled indignantly and shrugged his hand off.

"Our kitchen boy, Alucard," Holland replied.

"Quite a big mouth for a servant," scowled the magician

"Quite a pain in the ass for the prince's sidekick," the kitchen boy retorted with a smirk.

Kell growled, and Rhy caught him by the arm.

"If you are done bickering, could we focus on the matter at hand?" Lila interrupted, and the A _ntari_ turned their attention to her. The firebond she had created to hold their prisoners was starting to weaken.

"Let me take over," Holland offered, and with a swift motion of their hand they let water rise from the frozen ground all around. Lila stepped back, and as her fire vanished, Holland's water turned to ice to form a cage around Osaron and their step-siblings. They could feel how they were not only in control of their own power, but also had access to Kell's magic now.

Kell handed the third ring to Lila and she slipped it on her finger.

"Woah!" she exclaimed, and Holland gasped and buckled, as all their power drained away from them in a sudden rush.  
The ice turned to water and fell in a splash to the ground.

Then several things happened all at once.

Without a moment's hesitation Astrid rushed forwards, her knife drawn, following Osaron's outstretched hand that pointed to the prince, while Athos raised his whip above his head, ready to strike.

Kell pulled a blade from his pocket and bellowed, "Lila! Let go!"

Holland felt their magic return to them, only for it to immediately be withdrawn again with such brutal force that it slammed them to their knees.  
Lila doubled over next to them, as Kell sliced open his palm, pressed it to the ground and called " _As Isera"_.

Just as the tail of Athos whip curled itself around Rhy's ankle and Astrid was about to reach him, the wet soil froze over.  
It spread up the twins' and Osaron's legs and across their bodies until they stood still, turned into statues of ice.

Holland's vision blurred from the strain of Kell's pull on their magic.  
The other A _ntari_ stepped forward, laid his bloody hand one after the other on each of the twins' and Osaron's shoulders, and spoke with fierce determination, " _As Steno_ ". 

With a sickening noise cracks spread over the frozen bodies and they crumbled into thousands of tiny pieces.  
Rhy's leg came free, and Alucard caught him as he stumbled, stunned but unharmed.

Silence spread all around, and the power flowed back to Holland.

But it was not over yet.  
  


Holland only had a brief moment to get to their feet and steady themselves, when a knife was pressed against their throat in a swift, quiet motion.

They froze, as Lila's low voice hissed from behind their shoulder "Don't think that I have forgotten about that snowball."

Holland focussed on the metal against their throat. It bent away from their body at their will and clattered to the ground.  
They made a move to quickly get away from the other _Antari_ , but a second blade already dug into their ribs.

They sighed. "How many of those do you carry?"

"Oh, we can do this all day," she retorted, as the other knife also curled and fell.

Kell groaned.  
"Are you two done now? Lila, let them go."

"One day I will get my revenge," Lila stepped away from Holland and shot them a grin as sharp as her knives.

"This should get interesting," Rhy chuckled.

It was in that moment that a rustle of wings cut through the air and Talya landed on Holland's shoulder. In her beak she carried the hazelnut branch and as she dropped it into Holland's outstretched hand, they immediately knew what to do. They broke the last fruit off of it and let it fall to their feet.

An instant change went through the atmosphere, a deep wave of warmth and colour rolling out in circles from the spot where the nut hit the damp ground.  
The murky sky cleared above the town of Makt and the snow started to melt for the first time in years.  
The air hummed inaudibly with the electricity of the returning magic.

Everyone stood and watched in wonder as the dying land suddenly began to come back to life.  
Vortalis was the first to break the silence.

"Our A _ntari_ Holland!" he shouted proudly.

"Holland! _Mas Aven_!" the gathered crowd of servants cheered and whooped.

"I guess now you're _our Antari_ though," Lila said, pointing her beringed finger at them.  
Holland was unsure whether the edge in her voice was threat or humour. Likely both, they thought.

"If you want, that is?" added Kell with a questioning look and his everlasting frown, that they had already grown used to.

Holland looked down at the ring on their hand, now one of three, a slim golden band fitting like a glove.  
"There's nothing left for me to do here," they answered, "so, yes, I will come with you."

"But what about us?"

"What will happen to the estate?" 

"You are the last heir now," apprehensive voices rose from the gathered staff.

Holland turned around to face them, contemplating for a moment and then settled on their old servant Vortalis.  
"You shall have it," they said. "Please accept this gift as a sign of my gratitude."

Vortalis was speechless, but the crowd cheered and applauded and hugged each other.  
And so it was settled.

"Had I known the crown was looking for a magician," the kitchen boy, Alucard, then called out boldly, "I would have also shown my talents!"

The staff laughed at that, and Kell rolled his eyes.  
The prince turned to him with a curious smile.  
Alucard stepped forward and with a fluent, confident motion he pulled a stem of lilies out of thin air.

"Delightful!"  
Prince Rhy accepted the offered flower and lifted it to his nose to take the scent in.  
"What else can you do? Maybe there is another opening at court."

"I can be very entertaining," Alucard smirked, leaning in conspiratorially, "I do have a few other tricks up my sleeve, that Your Highness might find even more impressive. Those are of a more private nature, though."

The prince considered him for a moment, looked him up and down and finally settled on his gleaming, cheerful eyes.

"My parents shall be glad if with the whole rigmarole about the wedding I do meet someone I like. So, do you want to come to the palace with me?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Kell cut in, but his protest was swallowed by a new uproar of noise from the celebrating crowd.

"Yes, my prince!" grinned the kitchen boy.

  
Under cheering, waving and laughing of Vortalis and the staff they leapt onto their horses and galloped out the gates, Alucard sharing Rhy's mount, Lila climbing up behind Kell and Holland on their trusty Ojka, with Talya perched on their shoulder and Nasi following on their heels.

~✾~

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Did you enjoy this fairytale?  
> Do you know the movie and found some of the parallels just as hilarious as I did?  
> Let me know! :3  
> ~✾~  
> Also, a big, big thank you to all my friends on the Shades of Magic discord server - without you and your input this would not have been written! <3  
> Anyone wanting to join the server - great! Please do, we're nice! :D  
> Let me know in the comments and I'll send you a link.  
> ~✾~


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